Romania's health authorities have issued an alert due to a rise in respiratory infections over the past three consecutive weeks.
The report shows a significant increase of over 6% in comparison to the previous week.
So far, 22 people have died in the crisis, including a three-year-old child. Health Minister Alexandru Rafila announced that all the fatalities were among those who had not received the flu vaccine.
Rafila underlined that while the situation is unprecedented, we are talking about a situation that does not justify the implementation of far-reaching restrictions such as a quarantine.
He stated that the priority is on measures to curb the spread of the virus and indicated that social and economic activities can proceed as usual.
The surge in cases in Romania has prompted concerns about the potential strain on the country's healthcare system, notably in urban areas like Bucharest, Cluj, and Brasov.
Hospitals across the country have been ordered to minimize the number of visitors in order to slow the spread of the flu virus.
"It is advised to limit visits to the absolute essential and keep the number of visitors to a bare minimum," said Cristina Geormaneanu, spokesperson for the Craiova County Emergency Hospital.
Clinical cases of influenza have also increased rapidly and currently stand at 10,950, up from 6,994 in the previous week.
Although the number of new infections is increasing, the vaccination rate in Romania still lags behind.
As of January 26, roughly 1.13 million individuals have been inoculated against the influenza virus in a nation with a population exceeding 19 million residents.
"The hospital is running at maximum capacity. All the necessary measures that are taken during an outbreak of infectious illnesses are available here," stated Dragos Nicolosu, the Medical Director of the Victor Babes Clinical Hospital of Infectious Diseases and Pneumophthisiology in Craiova.
Health authorities are advising the adult population to take preventive measures seriously, including considering getting the flu vaccine.
In hospitals, medical staff must wear protective eyewear to prevent the spread of respiratory infections and supply stocks of antivirals must be checked.
The authorities will also publish a set of guidelines for the general public.
This epidemiological alert also implies clear guidelines for schools and kindergartens, with epidemiological triaging to be conducted throughout all educational establishments.
Individuals experiencing symptoms, as well as instructors and pupils, must self-isolate and ensure that rooms are frequently ventilated.
Flu cases in Romania have remained relatively steady, but surged to approximately 29,000 in 2020 during the initial stages of the COVID pandemic.
Cases of individuals simultaneously contracting the flu and COVID-19.
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